Jharsugada: The alarming rise in pollution level has been a major concern for residents in the industrial town of Jharsuguda. The problem has been attributed to fly-ash dumped by power companies on a daily basis.
People are facing breathing problems apart from being inflicted with skin and air-borne diseases due to exposure to flay-ash.
Villagers of Katikela, Hirma, Badmal,Tareikela, Harekrushnapur, and Kukurjanga living near industrial units which are using coal as fuel, have accused the plants of creating large scale pollution.
“Fly ash is floating everywhere — farmlands, temples, trees, rooftops, verandahs and even inside houses,” said Hurdaynath, a temple priest in Harekrushnapur.
The industrial units dump fly-ash at Kondajor ash pond and about a dozen villages get affected by it.
Villagers alleged that such is the extent of pollution that people sleeping outside their houses at night are covered by a layer of dust by the morning. The fly-ash also affects water bodies in the district by polluting them.
About 80 to 90 per cent of ash is collected at the ash pond while rest is taken to under-construction sites and brick kilns.
Katikela villagers had resorted to an agitation two years back when an ash pond caved in and caused damage to the farmlands.
Villagers of Sansaritikra under the banner of Maa Ambika SHG have been opposing the construction of an ash pond by Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) at Banharpalli under Lakhanpur block. They have filed a complaint mentioning the adverse effects of the ash pond with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
According to the SHG, the ash pond was constructed at 20 metres away from human habitation and this violated the environmental norms.
People of Brajarajnagar municipality area are also opposing the illegal supply of fly-ash.
Every day the plants are releasing more than 1,000 tonnes of fly-ash, but the administration is not taking any steps like establishment of a cement plant or any other factory where the ash can be utilised.
If the administration promotes fly-ash based industries then it will enhance employment opportunities while pollution can be controlled, locals said.
PNN
